Landis Bridge grant unsuccessful

     County Engineer Derek Snead had some unfortunate information for the Jones County Supervisors during their April 18 board meeting.

   A couple of years ago, Snead applied for the BIP (Bridge Investment Program) grant to help fund the replacement of the Landis Road Bridge over the Wapsipinicon River. At that time, the cost of the project was about $2.75 million. That grant application, a conglomerate with other counties in Iowa, was unsuccessful.

   Then Snead applied for the RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant. At this time, after COVID and with inflation, the cost of the project rose to $5.8 million. Much like BIP, this application was also in conjunction with other counties.

   Snead informed the board that they were unsuccessful with this grant as well.

   "We did not receive the funding," he said. "It's a little disappointing. It's unfortunate news."

   While Landis Bridge is listed on the Secondary Road five-year construction program, it was added with the stipulation the project would be completed only if the county received grant funding.

   As the federal administration changes and as national legislation changes, Snead said so do the funding cycles. So far, this grant program, though it's changed names, has been an annual opportunity.

   Snead said the grant program was marketed as being for rural areas, but was undoubtedly awarded to major metropolitan cities and counties throughout the U.S.

   He told the board that the representative who assisted the Iowa counties with the grant application plans to offer a debriefing and share the strong and weak aspects of the applications.

   "We requested $50 million as a conglomerate," Snead said of the overall grant application.

   "Are our representatives at the federal level fighting for us?" asked Supervisor Joe Oswald of the Iowa congressional delegation.

   "I assume they're aware of it," offered Assistant Engineer Todd Postel.

   Overall, Postel and Snead feel that grants like this are not ideal ways to fund road and bridge construction projects, sentiments they've shared in the past.

   "This is not a good way to fund transportation projects," Postel said.

   Snead said they tend to consider two different factors: traffic count and condition of the structure.

   "Iowa has been in the limelight with the conditions of bridges and infrastructure," he noted. "One big component is the benefit cost ratio; the total cost divided by the number of vehicles a day."

   Postel said the outcome with the RAISE grant does not mean they can't try again, though. And Snead said having gone through two applications now, it wouldn't require additional work to fill out future applications.

   "We can utilize a substantial amount of the previous applications, with some minor changes."

   The Iowa county engineers' association, Snead added, has also recently hired a grant writer to assist counties in obtaining additional funds.

   Concerning the grading project for 215^th Avenue, Postel informed the board that he's starting to work on right-of-way contracts.

   "We're getting ready to light the fuse," he said. "The amount (needed for right-of-way) is staggering."

   The estimated construction cost on this project is about $1.25 million. Postel said that does not include the half a million needed for right-of-way.

   Postel said the project will require 12 acres of permanent easement and 3 acres of temporary easement. In addition, he said there will be "lots of damages" in reference to fences and trees, etc.

   Postel plans to have the board approve a notice to bidders during the next meeting.

   "We need to survey (the land) and put the documents together," he said.

   Postel said over the past 25 years, the cost of right-of-way has steadily increased for construction projects.

   "It's high now. It's hard to swallow. But we want to make sure everyone is aware of what's going on."

   He warned the board that the 215^th Avenue project is not the only project where right-of-way will be needed.

   "Right-of-way is a very difficult component on all of the projects we do," commented Snead. "The level of service on the roads goes with the traffic count. A thousand tons of material will not make the road better; grading makes the road better."

   Postel said it could take up to 60 days for the survey work and appraisals before any right-of-way is purchased.

   "As a rule, the last 25 years, we tend to pay more for right-of-way than (it costs) for you to buy it," he said.

   215^th Avenue involves 15 landowners.

   "The project is already designed," added Postel of the plans. "Now begins all of the administration work."

   Oswald asked, depending on the appraisals, could the project be held off another year.

   "We need to see where we're at money-wise," he said.

   "In our experience," Snead said, "with the hundreds of parcels we've purchased, it's never enough. And we're generally not the average price (for land). For large magnitude projects, we rely on the appraised value."

   "We've spent a lot of time and money maintaining this section of the road the last 10 years," added Postel. "This (grading project) will fix it."